Atka: wolfheart
by Arashi Kazama
Summary: with half his family now away on their own journey, Atka's own adventure begins, as well as his new leader; Tundra's. Danger now looms all around the new island and Atka must find a way around it before time runs out.
1. prologue

"tag you're it!"

"Hey no fair! You got a head start!"

"Catch me if you can Atka!" Eska laughed, trotting away from her brother like the excited pup that she was.

Balto watched in interest at his two siblings zipping around the circle of their den. Dante was chewing on a random stick. "thish teeshing ish kirring meh." he mumbled between bites. Tier walked up to him and bit the other end, pulling it away from his brother. Dante growled with detest. "what are you doing? Paws off suck-up!" Tier growled back, inviting his sibling into a tug of war with the stick.

"Are you alright Aniu?" Taku asked lying on his belly watching over his young, aniu and balto were the only pups just standing there not doing anything active. "I'm fine papa," she huffed, lifting herself with her four legs and waltzing between her fathers front paws. "You seem a bit sad is all."

"I'm not sad papa, its just that I just can't understand boys sometimes." she nuzzled her fathers chest. "You understand me don't you _tlapa_?" he said with a smile. "yeah but you don't count because you're a grown up." she giggled. "Should I take that as a compliment young lady?" the auburn wolf chuckled with her daughter. "if I say yes will you groom me papa?"

Atka panted as his running became walking, and walking shortly became short baby steps. "Come on, *pant* eska, *pant* is that all *pant* you got?" eska was just barely in front of him now, taking her sweet time walking. Atka was huffing and puffing as if he were about to collapse at any minute. "oh hold up I think im gonna hurl~"

"uh, ew?" eska backed away. "gotcha!" atka regained his composure and ran off into the woods. 'she'll never find me here, haha! I know this maze inside and out thanks to pop!' he calculated in his head, taking a quick left turn leading to the beach shore. "just a little farther, whoa!" his pace screeched to a halt, his vision being blocked by a bright shining light. Quenching his lids barely being able to see he put a paw over his eyes. 'dog gone it what is that? that's too bright to be the sun.' he thought getting behind a nearby tree. The little cub reopened his blue eyes, seeing that his vision was but a blur now. "darn." he said looking at his front paws as he sat. but he could also see the shadows coming closer to him and the shore. Seeing that was his moment he turned around to find a figure standing at the beach. its fur almost matching the sand, and in front of her, an invisible figure appearing to be looking at him if not the wolf on the beach.

"Now young pup do you mind telling me what you're doing out here all alone?" the wolf said trotting up to him. "Mama~" atka gasped. "where's your father? I thought I told you to stay close to him and the den." Aleu sighed sniffing atka all over. "I know you did mama but there was this squirrel see,"

"and that's what happened." Atka finished his story walking beside his mother back to the den where their family waited. "Taku!" Aleu barked aloud. "Uh-oh." Balto looked over the scene. "We'll discuss this later atka, go with your siblings back in the den. Go, go!" she nudged his behind with her muzzle. "ok ok, I'm going mama." as soon as he did as he was ordered the cubs all rallied and huddled up inside their little home. They could here their parents arguing outside. "and that's where I saw it, this ghostly figure staring right into my eyes, it was so creepy." Atka finished his tale to his brothers and sisters.

"A ghost? No way." Dante scoffed. "G-g-ghost?" Balto shook with his fur sticking up. "Come on atka you know there's no such thing as ghosts." Tier assured. "Don't tell me you're on dante's side Tier!" Atka groaned in disappointment. "I'm not, I'm actually interested." he whispered in Atka's ear. "besides I don't want balto there having a panic attack, you know him."

"well what did this 'ghost' look like?" Aniu asked intrigued. Atka shook his head in response. "I dunno, all I could see was a bright light surrounding him, and when the light faded my vision was all blurry. But I could tell that it was some sort of wolf, all black and grey, it was creepy." eska gulped hearing the story. "well mom likely saw it too didn't she? Surely she knows about it too." Tier added. "and I also know that you're a terrible liar Atka, a squirrel? Really?" Aleu walked in the den along with Taku. This wasn't going to be easy to get out of. "mama, Atka was just confused after seeing that mysterious figure at the beach. Right?" Aniu butted in.

"What mysterious figure?" Aleu asked. "You mean you didn't see it? There was this bright shining beam of light and, this wolf came in and was walking on the water like it was some ghost!" Aleu chuckled hearing this. "oh my dear Atka, first squirrels now ghosts whats next?" her laughter becoming faint after a few seconds passing of awkwardness. Realizing he was serious she kept her poker face on and tried to look jokingly at her children. "Ok pups you can go back outside and play, atka, you stay with me. You too Taku."

The pups zipped out in joy, ready to do their usual activities. Once the three wolves were alone the two adults started to question their son. "Atka I didn't see anything. Are you sure there was some form of figure in front of you?" the little tan and silver wolf nodded. "I swear he was there mama, my vision may have been blurry but I could tell he was looking directly at me like he was trying to tell me something."

Taku pondered a little "Isn't this like you and that raven you once told me about Aleu?" Aleu's eyes shifted while her ears folded. "maybe, maybe not. When I talked to Aniu during my trip she appeared before me and sometimes even my father in a ghostly form. Maybe this is the same with this new figure?"

"I promise mama I'm not lying!" Atka begged as he was picked up by the scurf of the neck and placed between his mothers paws. "Its not that," she answered. "its bath time."

* * *

><p>enjoy the new review.<p>

NOTICE: tlapa means powdered snow in Inuit.


	2. prologue part 2

present time

Atka looked on as his mother, father, brother and sister drifted away beyond the great water. letting out one last howl goodbye to his family. '_thank you for giving me this chance, thank you for being my parents, and i hope you have a safe jouney' _The group he was with stayed until the ice raft was no longer visible. sighing he started to take his leave back to his remaining back. "Atka," Tundra said

"I hope you know that since I'm the most experienced and oldest, I'm the alpha now." Atka smiled. "I know." bowing his head. "and I'm the beta." Tundra nodded in response "Good. glad you understand logic now." Atka let out a lout "hmph." walking away with his head down. Dante and Aniu soon followed after. "so what do we do now leader?" Dante teased. "We do nothing. thats Tundra's call. I have no say." Atka groaned under his breath. "Come on, you're OUR leader aren't you?" Dante tried to cheer his brother up. "Yeah I guess so."

Aniu shook her head in annoyance. "Please get over Tier already Atka, at least we know he's alive right?" Atka growled at her sister in disgust. "how can I? he didn't even say goodbye...I don't even know whether to feel sad, or happy, or thankful or," his train of thought stopped, letting out another sigh. "I'm tired guys. Lets go get some rest."

the three wolves took the long route around the forest. marking their scent as they went on their way. However, the path seemed somewhat familiar. "Brings back cold memories." Dante said under his breath. "Still thinking about that ghost we saw when we were little?" Atka chuckled. "Speaking of which we never talked about him since that night have we?"

* * *

><p><em>2 years earlier...<em>

"I Don't see why we have to go see this stupid ghost." Dante scoffed.

"We have too, if what Atka says is true then he should see it again." Tier replied.

It was dark, the pack was asleep, and the pups snuck out of their den while their parents were sleeping. Tier had woken up his brothers and sisters to join him in on an adventure. Atka of course couldn't pass up, while balto and Dante resisted at first for their own personal reasons, being too scared to go and thinking it was a waste of time respectively. The story intrigued both Eska and Aniu to the point they wanted to know too. So here they were, in the forest, in the dark, with the crescent moon atop of their heads.

"I guess it'll be worth it if it means seeing mudballs face hehehe!" Dante chuckled. Balto's face narrowed as his brothers teasing remark. "And I can't wait to see you wet yourself once you see it sleezeball!" Dante's face shifted to shock but immediately changed to anger "That was only once you little-"

"Knock it off! Both of you!" Aniu butted in between her brothers. "She's right, this bickering isn't gonna get us anywhere, now come on we have to hurry before mom and dad notice we're gone."

The pups arrived shortly as expected, Atka recognized the path his father marked for him easily and lead them to the shore. "Welp, nothings here lets go-" Balto was about to leave but was quickly grabbed by neck by dante. "No you get back here!"

"It was right there, in the water or, on the water." Atka pointed with his paw. "Well? See anything?" Tier asked his brother who shook his head in response. "its too dark to tell, maybe he left." Atka folded his ears in a bit of shame. Balto then spoke up "Well maybe he went to haunt someone else? Yeah that must be it!"

"heh yeah where else could he go? Alaska? Ha!" Dante tried to joke but his laughter "I mean why us right? Haha!"

'_crack'_

"AAAAAAHHHHH!"

The pups rushed from the scene, running as fast as they could to get back to their den. Problem was that it was too dark to see. Balto was too frightened to stay close to his siblings and eventually he found himself lost. "guys? Guys! Gu-umph!" his pacing now stopped as he ran head first into what felt like a front leg of an animal. "oh no, please don't hurt me mr. ghost I promise I'll eat my meat every day, I'll take mama's baths and-," the figure cleared its throat, its voice sounding masculine and somewhat familar. Balto opened up one eye and looked up to see who the figure was.

"Balto, we heard you screaming are you-," Tier and the gang eventually made it to Balto's whereabouts only to find that someone beat them to it. "Uncle Tundra?" the azule wolf's eye's glowed in the night, serving somewhat as night vision. Wolves could see well in the dark after all.

"Busted." Dante said nervously. Atka sighed in relief figuring out what the sound came from. "where you following us?" Aniu asked the blue wolf who stayed silent after the question. After a while he spoke up. "It was you who were following me." the pups looked at each other in question "we were?" they said in union. "We didn't mean to, we were lost." Atka answered.

"Shouldn't you be in bed." Tundra scolded. "We were looking for a ghost. Did you want to see it too uncle Tundra?" Eska walked up in front of the crowd of six. "No. but I heard you all bickering over my beauty sleep and you woke me up. I thought it be fitting to teach you all a lesson." Tundra growled. "Now come, I'll lead you to your den." the pups ears folded in shame, they were sure to get it now. "Way to go suck-up." Dante spat at Tier. "Hey at least we know the ghost wasn't there right? Oh no offense Atka."

"It's ok. I hope I didn't upset any of you…" Atka sighed. "I don't know about you guys but I had a blast." Eska cheered. "I think we should still be on our guard you guys." Aniu pondered out loud. "I'm just glade that is over." Balto sighed in relief. "I can't wait to get back to my warm den where its safe and snuggle up to mama's warm fur and-,"

'_grrrrr'_

"Um, guys? Anyone besides me heard that?" dante gulped. "Everyone, don't scatter, stay close to me and keep calm, understand?" Tundra ordered the young. Shifting his position to offense, barring his fangs and growling at the strange presence, sniffing the air for a scent that stood out but for some reason, there wasn't any. "Do you see it uncle Tundra?" Atka whispered. "Shush!" Tundra spat.

"Is it the ghost Atka?" Tier asked. "I'm not sure, but I'm feeling uneasy all of the sudden, I've felt this before this morning."

"I think that's a yes!" Dante screamed loudly at the sight he was seeing in front of him. There was a transparent figure floating a few inches above ground. "Where is it? I cant see or smell anything!" Tundra shifted his head back and forth trying to find any incoming attacker. "He's right in front of you! Get it! Get it!" Dante cried out in panic. Tundra growled and started to swipe in the air like a mad dog. "To your left, a little higher!" Dante was giving their guardian directions on where their new enemy was.

"Am I hitting anything?" Dante shook in response. "He's not flinching he's, he's disappearing like he's some sort of smoke!" the brown chest pup couldn't believe what he was seeing, were his eyes deceiving him? The transparent wolf's eye were glowing a bright yellow, staring directly at him. He could hear a voice echoing in his head in some sort of different language. '_lleps eht kaerb,'_ he could make out, but what did it mean? "dante? Dante!" the pup felt his body being shaken by his bodyguard, feeling it swaying back and forth. "Wha-what? Is it gone?"

Dante's eye's were bloodshot, his cheeks stained with tears, his fur sticking up, his body shaking, it felt like he had just woken up from a nightmare. "We should be asking you that kid." Tundra answered calmly. Dante looked around, not a soul in sight except his siblings and care taker. He then gathered enough breath to let out a big sigh. "I-I," he tried to explain, but the words wouldn't come out.

"It's ok Dante we're here!" Eska tried to comfort him. As much as Balto wanted to say it he couldn't bare to bring up the fact that Dante had wet the ground out of fear, much less stoop to his level. But he did feel pity for his brother, seeing him in such shock was so new to his mind that it was beginning to scare him. Dante was the toughest pup he knew, and here he was shaking like a baby.

"Atka, d-did you see anything?" dante's voice was still shaky as was his body. Tundra picked him up by the neck and decided to carry him on the way back. "no, but its over now, we're going home.

* * *

><p>"And here we are." Tundra finished the story. Aleu bowed her heard, "Thank you very much Tundra, we appreciate it." Taku yawned. "Don't mention it. I'm going to keep guard out side if it'll help." Aleu shook her head. "No, we'll be alright." Tundra bowed his head and took his leave. "Alright cubs inside, mush, mush." the mother wolf pushed each pup inside the den by their butts with her muzzle, all except Dante who was picked up by Taku.<p>

"Mama we-" Tier was about to speak but was stopped by Aleu's paw. "We'll talk tomorrow." She said in a hushing tone. Tier got the message and decided to lift the burden off his shoulders for one night. he took his position by the corner and left into a deep slumber as did the rest of the pups. Dante on the other hand was being groomed by Aleu. "Shh, its ok Dante, it's ok." she whispered soothingly. "My poor baby," Dante couldn't help but sob into his mothers chest fur. Aleu's motherly instincts kicked in as she started to lick her pup's head. "Mama's here," she cooed.

* * *

><p><em>aniu was standing in the middle of nowhere, her feet surrounded in ice. she couldn't see anything around her. but above her, in the sky, was the most beautiful thing she had ever witnessed. 'the northern lights!' she said out loud. but then the lights began to fade, narrowing down toward a cave to her west side. she quickly ran to the destination and found herself within the cave. the cavern was full of spikes and puddles, while the exit just ahead was caved in by what appeared to be snow. she explored the cave, eventually coming across a wall with what seemed to be pictures.<em>

_she didn't know how but she could read it. two wolves next to a camp fire, and an Eskimo. what did it mean?_

* * *

><p>Aniu woke up, the sun shining in her face, her brothers and sister barking ringing through her ears. She opened her eyes and let out a big yawn, smacking her lips and stretching her legs. "So much for sleeping in." she sighed. getting up she started walking towards her mother who was watching over the cubs. "Good morning Mama." Aleu looked beside her to find her snow white daughter sitting next to her. "Good morning sleepy head. have a nice sleep?" She smiled. "Yes mama." she lied.<p>

letting out a big sigh she stood up and barked for the pups to gather up around her. "Now about last night," she started. "here we go..." Atka groaned. "I'm very displeased with you all for running out late at night like that." Aleu's voice was getting stricter by the syllable. "I should be punishing you all but, I'm sure some of you have learned your lesson." her eyes quickly shifting to Dante. "I didn't want to go, it was Tier's idea!" Dante defended himself. "Nevertheless you still went when you knew better."

"Mom, if anyone should be punished the hardest, it should be me. Dante's right, and I'm really sorry. if it weren't for me you wouldn't have been stricken with fear last night." Tier's voice was cracking, tears starting to fall out of his eyes. "Tier, Eska, Balto, Aniu, Atka, Dante, go inside the den and not a peep until your dad gets here. you're all grounded."

the pups put their tails between their legs and huddled off with their heads down, feeling so ashamed as they should be.

* * *

><p><em>present<em>

"So the first time the ghost appeared to was me, then you dante?" Dante nodded. "He was talking to me too, like in some native tongue or something."

"Can you remember what he said?" Dante pondered for a bit. "Kaerb eht lleps." Atka nodded taking in the information. "hmm. doesn't sound Inuit to me."

"sounds like some form of riddle." Aniu added. "kaerb eht lleps...maybe...its backwards! break the spell!" Aniu's eyes widened a bit. then that dream she had, it was a message after all! if it involved a campfire and a human than surely he must have known witchcraft! but...what spell? and why is he appearing only to the three of them?

"This is witchcraft work." Aniu told her brothers. Dante's mind then hatched an idea. "Is he our spirit guide?" Aniu shook. "No, if it were it wouldn't have scared you to death that night. Something tells me this ghost is trying to ask us to help him but, why us?"

the day went on as more questions and theories rose. This was about to drive Aniu in particular nuts, she needed help. but from who? the only other wolf she knew that had any knowledge of witchcraft was...'_great grandmother and nava...' _"I have an idea. Follow me." Atka ordered.


	3. worry

"Aniu are you SURE you know where we're going?" Dante moaned behind her ears. Heaving a big sigh under her breath the young wolfess gathered her tension and spoke. "Mother left behind a trail when she left for the caverns so, we'll just follow the same path she took."

A slight chuckle could be heard by the tallest sibling "But what if her journey wasn't an easy one? I heard rumors about-,"

"and that's all they are; rumors." Atka shouted at Dante. "Geez I was only teasing." Dante shrugged. "You forget Balto isn't here with us so you can forget trying to scare everyone."

"Atka you've been under some stress sense mother and father left. Something's on your mind." the white wolf stopped in her tracks turning tail to face her brother. "I-," the tan wolf sighed heavily. "I know I can't hide it from you sister. But I'd rather get to our current objective-,"

"No Atka, before we advance any further I want all of us to understand each other as a team. I can tell just by looking at you that somethings eating you under your fur. Please, tell us."

Atka folded his ears and sat his rump down, head lowering and facing the earth. "Its just all this is happening at once. Tier's gone, Mom and Dad leaving with Balto and eska, me getting all the responsibility thrown at me, that ghost coming back to haunt us,"

"Maybe we should let you rest for a while. You've had a long day." Aniu padded over to her brother. "No, the one thing I wanna do now is get to this cavern so we can get our grandmother to help us with, with this…"

"ghost?" Dante helped finished Atka's stuttering sentence. "Shut up Dante there's no such thing!" the young beta spat out. "Atka, there's no reason to raise your voice," Aniu assured.

"Why? You know him he's trying to scare us! Like he's always been since we were pups! Let me tell you I've had enough of his jokes, it isn't gonna work this time and if you think-, OOPH!" everything got dark suddenly, a forceful blow hitting his stomach. Topling over to his side, Atka's vision blurred, the world spinning around him. "Sorry brother," was all he heard before fainting.

"You sure I should have done that?" Dante lowered his head to his brothers face, nudging his cheek softly. "He needed it, there was no other way he'd comply." Aniu took a final sigh of relief. "We'll camp here until dawn."

* * *

><p>(AN: not much but its something to keep you occupied. letting you readers know I'm still writing. right now i'm going on writters block but no worries. I'm still continuing)


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